Japanese Grand Prix 2012 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Sebastian Vettel continued his relentless march toward a third World Championship with a commanding victory at the Japanese Grand Prix, dominating at Suzuka from pole position to extend his winning streak to two races. The German driver led home Felipe Massa's Ferrari and Kamui Kobayashi's Sauber in front of passionate home fans, while Fernando Alonso could only manage ninth after a first-lap collision, watching his championship lead evaporate as Vettel's Red Bull juggernaut rolled on.

Vettel's pole lap around the legendary Suzuka circuit had been breathtaking, with the Red Bull RB8 perfectly suited to the track's combination of high-speed sweeps and technical sections. He converted that advantage into a lights-to-flag victory, controlling the race with the authority of a champion and setting fastest lap to complete a perfect weekend. The Red Bull was now clearly the class of the field, with Adrian Newey's aerodynamic developments transforming the RB8 into a dominant machine. Vettel's maturity and pace were remarkable, extracting maximum performance while managing his tires expertly.

Massa drove an excellent race to claim second place, securing Ferrari's best result since Alonso's German GP victory and providing crucial constructor points. Kobayashi thrilled the Japanese fans with a brilliant drive to third place for Sauber, claiming his first podium of the season on home soil with an emotional performance. Alonso's championship campaign took a devastating blow when he was caught up in a first-lap incident triggered by Kimi Raikkonen's Lotus, dropping him to the back of the field. His recovery to ninth yielded just two points, and Vettel's 25-point haul meant the German closed to within just four points of the championship lead with five races remaining. The momentum had swung decisively to Red Bull.